New upper control arms.... not happy

[Canadian1968]

So I just picked up my new Upper Control arms from Pirate Jack.  Looking over the pieces i notice that I can wiggle one of the entire bushings. I can actually spin the whole thing inside the frame of the control arm itself. Pretty sure I am not supposed to be able to do this !! All the other ones seem fine?

Picture of me holding the piece that i can wiggle and turn.

[JB400]

Have you tried swapping the bushings around?  Might be the difference in the bushing, not the control arm.

[Canadian1968]

Tried switching it around?? Not sure what you mean? Switching them side for side? These came with bushings and ball joints already in.

[RallyeMike]

Pirate Jack

Nuff said?

[fy469rtse]

Send them back Jeff ,

[charger Downunder]

Why cant they make stuff right today. 44 years later with technology and we cant make the most simple things. Send it back and i bet some other poor bugger will be sent it.

[myk]

These things can be made right, you just have to buy from the right vendor.  Give Hotchkis' UCA's a try...

[Canadian1968]

Send them back Jeff ,

I think you have me mixed up with another member! My name is Adam, haha.  From ontario canada .

I sent an email to pirate jacks, obviously won't hear back till Monday but will see how they handle this situation !

[Canadian1968]

Double post

[b5blue]

Mine are fine, that needs to go back, they need to be a tight fit. Tell them you need them to check what they replace that with before shipping!

[Canadian1968]

These things can be made right, you just have to buy from the right vendor.  Give Hotchkis' UCA's a try...

There are tons of after market tubular controls out there I know. But I have 0 use for any of that, and cannot justify paying $$ for something I am not going to make use of.

I simply want an OEM repo , which is harder to find obviously.   

Pirate Jack is supposed to be a reputable source.

[Ghoste]

I thought he was too. 

[Canadian1968]

Well since I am wating for get this figured out, I can still pull out the old ones.  I don't think there is anything crazy about pulling these out , since I am taking the ball joint right out wiht it.  I am also changing the front struts as well.  I want to have the suspension supported with a jack, this will kepp the load off right?? I am still unfamiliar with the torsion bar suspension set up.

Should I do one before for the other or can I pull both the strut and the arm at the same time?

[b5blue]

A rule for myself is to never cripple the car till parts are in hand. Have you the tool for popping the ball joint stud from the spindle? (Or something else.) If so jack the car and support the front of the K member and also behind the wheel at the front sub frame. Unload to torsion bars by backing the bolt out of the adjuster located in the LCA to release downward force from the torsion bars. Support the bottom of the spindle/LCA with blocking. You can now pop the ball joint loose, remove the UCA bolts and pull out the UCA on each side. Remember to screw the T bar adjusters back before lowering the car! 

[Canadian1968]

A rule for myself is to never cripple the car till parts are in hand. Have you the tool for popping the ball joint stud from the spindle? (Or something else.) If so jack the car and support the front of the K member and also behind the wheel at the front sub frame. Unload to torsion bars by backing the bolt out of the adjuster located in the LCA to release downward force from the torsion bars. Support the bottom of the spindle/LCA with blocking. You can now pop the ball joint loose, remove the UCA bolts and pull out the UCA on each side. Remember to screw the T bar adjusters back before lowering the car! 

I really hate trying take out 45 year old bolts !! What a PITA. Any suggestions on how to get the bolts out of the upper control arms?  The nuts came off pretty easy, but I need to get the bolt out, yea right !! Not much room in there to get at it with a mallet.  I can barely make out the cam bolts, i know their there, because the manual says so , hahah. I dont' really understand the purpose of them though, does the bolt have a shape that fits threw the center for the cam ? Sure it will be clear once I get it out but that isn't goin to happen any time soon it looks like !!

Also trying to loosen bolts for the strut , again the bottm nut threw the LCA came loose pretty easy. The one on top insde the engien compartment on the other hand , not so much. The entire tire threaded stud turns with bolt 

[hemi71x]

[/quote]

I really hate trying take out 45 year old bolts !! What a PITA. Any suggestions on how to get the bolts out of the upper control arms? 
[/quote]

Torch.
The bolts are rusted to the sleeve of the bushing.
Beg, borrow, rent, a torch if you dont have one.

[hemi71x]

Did you purchase new upper control arm bolts with the rest of the parts that you bought.
Appears that your going to be needing a set of four of them, also.
I have them if your interested.

[Canadian1968]

What exactly are the cam washers for ?

[hemi71x]

What exactly are the cam washers for ?

The Upper Control Arms.

[Canadian1968]

I mean what is the purpose of them

[hemi71x]

I mean what is the purpose of them

Wheel alignment adjustments.

[Mike DC]

 
What are the odds that Pirate Jack is the maker of the part?  

Most everything repo'd is one single product being resold by all the places we get it.  






Send it back and demand either a good part or a refund.  The repro industry will stop making bad stuff when people stop paying for it.  

[c00nhunterjoe]

For what its worth, you would benefit from new tubular upper control arms. They are all built with 3-4 degrees more caster then the oem arms. This causes a drastic improvement in road feel and steering response when using a radial tire.

[b5blue]

   They can rust to the bushings inner steel sleeve. Lots of penetrating oil soaking for days might help. See in the pic? The big washers hole is off set not centered. The pad or bracket on the outside of the bushing mountings has guide edges that hold the outside edge of the washers. By rotating the bolt/washer assembly the offset hole moves the UCA in or out in a slot because it's held by the guide's on the outer edge.
  That is why they make bushings with an offset mounting hole also. They allow even more adjustment when installed to the direction needing more correction. 
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,60100.msg671247.html#msg671247

[Canadian1968]

   They can rust to the bushings inner steel sleeve. Lots of penetrating oil soaking for days might help. See in the pic? The big washers hole is off set not centered. The pad or bracket on the outside of the bushing mountings has guide edges that hold the outside edge of the washers. By rotating the bolt/washer assembly the offset hole moves the UCA in or out in a slot because it's held by the guide's on the outer edge.
  That is why they make bushings with an offset mounting hole also. They allow even more adjustment when installed to the direction needing more correction. 
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,60100.msg671247.html#msg671247

Are all bushing supposed to be offest or is that an option for increased adjustability.  I had not even looked at even looked at the other control arm until a few mins ago, and I am ALSO missing the small washer for the inside of the bushing, the outside one on same bushing had also fallen out in the package.   

These only have a small shoulder on them and I don't think its a big deal that the one has come off?  I would like to to pry off the other ones to see what the bushing looks like inside if its not going to damage anything.

[Canadian1968]

Picture of the bushing . This is the bushing that the large washer fell off and smaller one is missing. I did not pry them off, but would like to take off the other side to see if they are pressed in opposite direction as explanined in the other post.

Refering back to the the cam washers , that HEMI71 posted. the holes look round and not shaped in anyway, so the bolt can turn freely in them, the cam will not turn wiht bolt. ?  Insteade depending how they are placed in the guides will determing their position??

[green69rt]

Picture of the bushing . This is the bushing that the large washer fell off and smaller one is missing. I did not pry them off, but would like to take off the other side to see if they are pressed in opposite direction as explanined in the other post.

Refering back to the the cam washers , that HEMI71 posted. the holes look round and not shaped in anyway, so the bolt can turn freely in them, the cam will not turn wiht bolt. ?  Insteade depending how they are placed in the guides will determing their position??

The cam washer next to the bolt head is fixed and should turn with the bolt, that's how the front end alignment gets adjusted.  Insert the cam bolt and washers then put a socket on the bolt head and turn it to adjust. I got mine out but the resolultion on the pic is not good enough to show how the cam washers do not have a round hole. The cam washer on the threaded end has a odd hole that matches the bolt which is also not round.  Neither of these washers should turn on the bolt shaft.  

[b5blue]

Called a D shaped hole

[green69rt]

Called a D shaped hole

Yes!!

[Canadian1968]

Ahhhh ok!!  Thankyou.  I have been looking threw the my manual but they dont' clearly show the cam/bolts or explain much about the adjusting process, just that you turn it ! Hahah  And mine is so dirty, rusty I can't make it out !! There is no way in hell they could be adjusted right now ! lol

This is them right?
http://s7d9.scene7.com/is/image/GenuinePartsCompany/NWM?$Product=GenuinePartsCompany/237395

[hemi71x]

Not to throw salt onto a wound here, but you are another victim of the poor quality, questionable quality, of these China repoped parts that the aftermarket is selling.
Your having fitment problems with the UCA's themselves, with the bushings, bushings falling apart, and you haven't even gotten to the point in the installation of them yet.
If you needed to replace your UCA's you could have been better off advertising for used ones to rebuild, with a quality MOOG bushings, and ball joint.
Lots of unrusted UCA's to be found in the USA from states that don't see snow and salt on the roads.
Not happy to hear of your problems with these parts that you have, but you now have joined the club with others, that also have, (had) problems.

[green69rt]

Here's one source and you can see the odd shaped bolt hole.   $$

http://www.justsuspension.com/eccentric-bolt-kit-15115.html